Pre-Season Fixtures Sought - 3rd June

Trowbridge Town are looking for away pre-season friendlies for their Hellenic League and Wiltshire League teams, midweek or Saturday, from July 14. Any teams interested are asked to contact Andrew Meaden on 07742670031.

Shanley Takes Charge At Bradford - 8th May

Following his resignation from Trowbridge Town, Paul Shanley has been appointed manager of Toolstation League Division One side Bradford Town.

Shanley replaces Paul Ranger at Bradford, who left the club after their last game of the season.

Shanley, who quit Trowbridge Town a fortnight ago, is taking assistant Mark Edwards and goalkeeping coach Robbie Coombs with him. The former Bees boss revealed he was convinced to take over at Bradford because the club was moving forward.

Shanley said: "They have got planning permission in to change the facilities at the end of next season, but with the lights they are looking at sooner rather than later. Everything seems to be in place. I didn't want to go to another club where I was going to be in the same situation as at Trowbridge."

The new Bradford boss said he may bring players to the Sports and Social Club from old club Trowbridge. Shanley said: "That's a possibility. There's some good players at Trowbridge, I'd be silly to say differently, and we've got our eye on some of them. But there's other players around at other clubs as well."

Shanley said he was already looking forward to next season: "It's a new challenge. The Toolstation League was something I wanted to do. The previous manager has done an excellent job and they have got some excellent footballers there. Hopefully we can keep them and add to it."

All Change for Trowbridge - 27th April

It’s going to be ‘ALL CHANGE’ at Trowbridge Town for Season 2008-2009, the following extracts were published in the programme for the final home match against Wootton Bassett Town in One West of the Sport Italia Hellenic League. Manager Paul Shanley is standing down and Club Chairman John Fitchen and Secretary Robin Sims are also moving aside!

Shanley’s Last Shout for Trowbridge

As you are all probably well aware by now I have decided to stand down after today's game as Trowbridge Town manager. After 13 years of being involved in the youth and adult set up it has been the hardest decision that I have ever had to make. The uncertainty on when and if the new ground is going to be built is still a major issue at the club. Although I know that Stuart Brown is doing all he can to provide this it still has hurdles to overcome. Our current ground is as we all know prolonged to severe water logging and this will continue to hinder the teams progress as you cant keep going 3 months without a home fixture or 5 weeks without a game like we have had to do this season. This being I believe a major factor in the team not going closer to winning the league this season.

The merger with the youth for one reason or another has taken longer than expected..... 2 years in fact. Every senior club if to be successful these days need a good youth set up and I believe we have the best in Wiltshire so why it has taken until now to sort this out is a mystery??

Our on/off ground share next season which is now definitely off, and from my view this is probably best for the club, as what is the point of ground sharing to get promotion when you haven't got a ground to progress to. There is no incentive for me to carry on next season as the club is no further down the line, off the field, than it was 2 years ago when I took over.

Bringing better players to the club would have been extremely difficult in our current position and if I am honest I don't see this changing 12 months on as I have nothing more to offer players other than playing football in the Spor Italia Hellenic West Division ONE with the likely hood again if successful there being no promotion at the end of it.

Once again we are the best supported team in our league and if anyone deserves success and progress it’s you the supporters. I wish you all the very best for the future and hope your dreams of a new ground will be fulfilled. Thank you all, once again, for everything.

Shanks

To a Great Bunch of Fans

As Chairman in my 10th year since the formation of our club I had high hopes of our club making further progress and continuing our success both on and off the field of play. Clearly the Wilts FA are not very sympathetic or helpful to our cause with the final explanation of the rules forwarded by CFA Secretary Mike Benson which do not favour our hopes of ground sharing with Westbury United.

I quote: “To ground share with Westbury United, TTFC would lose its Senior Status which would not allow them to compete with other senior clubs in Wiltshire including all the Wiltshire teams in Hellenic Division 1 West”.

Our hopes therefore of gaining promotion on a ground with better facilities will now not take place at least for the next two years and we are resigned to staying at Woodmarsh. It has given me much pride and pleasure to be part of TTFC also the old club which I was elected onto their committee in 1971 after which I stood down in 1992. It is fair to say that without the support of a hard working committee and the voluntary help of supporters and friends I would probably not have lasted this long.

After much deliberation I have decided to stand down and give my support if required to a younger Chairman who will have time to prepare for the next step up to a new ground hopefully within the next two years when having reached maturity at 75 I will be able to have a seat in a new stand and continue to enjoy one of the loves of my life Trowbridge Town FC.

Best wishes to one and all

John Fitchen

Over and Out

Three seasons ago, I was asked to assist Nigel Armstrong as Secretary after involving myself in the club by hosting the website. My affinity with technology meant that I could assist Nigel with all the online demands that the Hellenic League require and when he moved away I was the obvious choice to take on the job fully. I have no regrets, learnt very quickly and in the main have thoroughly enjoyed the task.

However, sometimes things have to end and on the morning of the recent race night I produced a letter that was handed to John Fitchen & Treasurer Roy While that evening announcing my retirement after the final match of the season. I now find that I am not alone in my decision and would like to make it very clear that my decision had nothing to do with recent events. Since I changed jobs two years ago, I have become very busy and the time it takes to communicate with referees and other clubs plus dealing with Wilts FA communications was eating into too much of my evenings and I felt it was time to step down.

Having made my reasons clear, I will now turn to recent events. The farce with the Wilts FA ended in defeat. We won the battle in as much as we acquired proof in writing that the Hellenic League would accept us as a Junior Club should that be necessary to achieve the ground share at Westbury but they then played their ace card.

If we were a Junior club, all Wiltshire Senior clubs would not be allowed to play against us! Despite winning the battle we lost the war. The fact that the Wiltshire FA rules are different from every other surrounding County seems to be irrelevant and Mike Benson still believes that if it went to a vote, the existing member clubs would not vote for a change. With the current financial status of many clubs, I believe that ground sharing could be of benefit and I made it clear that I disagree with Bensons’ prediction.

Finally, good luck to whoever fills the vacancies, the merge with the youth is vital and I for one prefer to hope for a positive, successful future rather than some of the negative vibes that some people like to give out, often without knowing the full facts.

What is my key to success? Work hard, be honest and COMMUNICATE!

Come on Trowbridge!

Robin Sims.
Club Secretary

Shanley Stays Silent On Rumours - 24th April

Trowbridge Town manager Paul Shanley is refusing to comment on reports that he is to quit after Saturday's final match of the season, at home to Wootton Bassett Town.

The Wiltshire Times and Chippenham News report when they contacted the Trowbridge manager this afternoon, Shanley, who has been in charge of the Sport Italia Hellenic League Division One West team for two years, said: "I'll speak to you about it on Monday."

Praise For New Boy Askew - 24th April

Trowbridge Town boss Paul Shanley has praised recent striker signing Scott Askew. The gangly hit man joined Trowbridge from Wiltshire League Bromham in March after making his name as a prolific goalscorer in junior football in the Trowbridge and District and Chippenham Sunday leagues.

Askew scored a hat-trick in Trowbridge's 6-1 demolition of Cirencester United in the Hellenic League Division One on Saturday, prompting Shanley to say: "I think he's finding his feet now. "

Shanley added: "It's quicker than what he's played but he's finding the pace and reaping the rewards. He's a trier and he certainly knows where the goal is. It was a good hat trick."

"He's a tall lad but he's good on the deck. A lad that's tall gives you another dimension to your game, sometimes you need that. Dave Appleyard scored the second goal and his pace is always a threat as well."

The Trowbridge bid for a swift winning double when they travelled to Cirencester in the return fixture last night also came up trumps. With Askew adding two more goals to his league tally in the 3-1 victory.

Shanley Looks For Positive Response - 19th April

Paul Shanley will be without six first team players for today's Sport Italia Hellenic League First Division home game against struggling Cirencester United.

Dean Ranger and Dan Shanley, Aaron Salter and Matt Minnis are unavailable and Liam Milburn and Toby Dawson are playing for the county.

Trowbridge Town's title hopes were ended with two defeats in four days at the hands of Pewsey Vale this week, but manager Paul Shanley is looking to end the season on a high.

Shanley said: "I just hope we finish the season on a positive note and hopefully grab third place."

We're Out - 15th April

Paul Shanley has conceded his Trowbridge Town side are out of the Hellenic League Division One title race after they lost 1-0 at Pewsey Vale on Saturday.

The Bees trail league leaders Old Woodstock Town by eight points with four games to play. Shanley said: "I think we're playing to finish third now. I would be surprised if Woodstock and Winterbourne let us back in. With the games the top two have got I don't think they are going to drop many points. We've got no one to blame apart from ourselves."

The Trowbridge boss was frustrated with his team's performance against Pewsey Vale on Saturday after his team beat Old Woodstock Town 3-0 the previous weekend. Shanley said: "It summed up our season really. We can beat teams above us and get good results and blow it against teams we should be beating. It was a disappointing display for us bearing in mind the situation we got ourselves in. The players know we weren't happy with that at all. We got what we deserved, they outbattled us and wanted it more on the day."

Trowbridge only had one chance of note when Ashley Benison went close with a free kick after five minutes. Pewsey scored the winner on the half hour after Trowbridge twice failed to clear.

Shanley could not not understand why his side only created one chance after scoring 12 goals in their last four games. Saying: "We've opened teams up and it just didn't happen and if I'm honest we didn't look like scoring. We didn't really create anything, it was easy for them."

The two sides meet again at Woodmarsh tomorrow evening.

Bees Make Late Charge For Title -12th April

Trowbridge Town continue their late charge for the Hellenic League Division One West title when they travel to play Pewsey Vale tomorrow.

Victories over leaders Old Woodstock Town and Purton in the past week have rekindled Town's hopes, although they are still relying on their championship rivals dropping points.

Manager Paul Shanley is well aware his side still have a good chance of winning the title, but says: "We've got to make sure we win our games in hand. We're relying on teams to slip up but if they do we need to make sure we're there to grab the opportunity."

Liam Milburn and Toby Dawson (pictured) miss tomorrow's game as they are on county duty, while John Woods is rated 50-50 with a groin problem.

Pewsey have a strong home record as they have won 10 out of 15 games at the Recreation Ground, losing only four.

The Bees play Pewsey Vale again at Woodmarsh on Tuesday evening.

The Wilts FA Response To Press - 12th April

As the row over the Wiltshire Football Association's refusal to allow Trowbridge Town and Westbury United to groundshare at Meadow Lane continues, Wiltshire Times and Chippenham News editor Andy Sambidge invited Mike Benson (pictured), secretary of the Wiltshire FA, to respond with a statement.

The correspondence as published in in the Wiltshire Times is as follows.

Wiltshire Times e-mail to Mr Benson

Dear Mr Benson,

I understand from my sports department that you are no longer prepared to discuss the proposed groundshare between Trowbridge Town and Westbury United football clubs.

As you are no doubt aware, this has become a major topic of interest to our readers and I believe your side of the argument should be given.

I am therefore inviting you to submit your own article on the groundshare and senior status issues, which, subject to space, I will be happy to publish.

Please let me know if you are interested in doing this for next week's paper so I can let my sports editor know.

Regards
Andy Sambidge
Editor
Wiltshire Times and Chippenham News

Mr Benson's reply

Dear Mr Sambidge,

Thank you for your e-mail dated 4th April 2008 in which you invited me to submit an article on the subject of Trowbridge Town Football Club's recent ground share proposal. As far as the Wiltshire County Football Association is concerned the matter is now closed.

Trowbridge Town Football Club is fully aware that the Council of the WCFA are prepared to allow the Club to retain its senior status by extending the Club's existing temporary ground share arrangement at Woodmarsh, with its landlord Trowbridge Town Youth Football Club the other club in the town which has been granted Senior Status, whilst the negotiations are on-going over the proposed new ground for Trowbridge Town FC.

In the meantime Trowbridge Town FC has agreed to re-open talks with Trowbridge Town Youth FC towards a merger of the two Clubs. This would allow the new club to seek "Community Club" status under The Football Association Charter Standard Awards.

Should such a merger take place Trowbridge Town FC's step 6 (Hellenic League) team would join with the twenty plus teams currently run by Trowbridge Town Youth FC to provide football opportunities within the town for boys and girls from mini soccer level, at age of six, through to Adult Step 6 level.

As a "Community Club" it would also open opportunities for the merged Club to seek financial support from the Football Foundation.

Yours Sincerely,
Mr M G Benson
County Hon. Secretary

Wilts FA Taken To Task - 5th April

The Wiltshire Times and Chippenham News is questioning the logic of the Wilts FA refusal to sanction Trowbridge Towns' desire to ground share.

The newspaper reports:

'Trowbridge Town chairman John Fitchen admits he is puzzled by the Wiltshire FA's rule that two senior clubs in the county cannot share a ground.

We've got news for him: he's joined a far from exclusive club.

Why does Wiltshire have this rule?

That's the question everyone we've spoken to this week wants answered. We'd like it answered too, but sadly all our attempts have failed.

Wiltshire FA secretary Mike Benson is refusing to discuss the issue with the Wiltshire Times and Chippenham News; an odd stance you might think for the man holding the press and public relations brief for the county FA, but there you are.

And we have only been able to communicate with Mike Appleby, the leagues manager at the national FA, by e-mailed questions sent via the Soho Square press office.

Despite those communication problems one or two interesting points have emerged - thanks largely to Trowbridge Town supporter Keith Neville, who is fighting a one-man battle to have the rule over-turned.

Point one is that Mr Benson is quite right when he says Wiltshire FA is autonomous and has the power to strip Trowbridge of senior status should they enter a groundshare arrangement.

But point two is that the Wiltshire FA do not have the power to prevent Trowbridge from groundsharing or continuing to compete in the Hellenic League.

In a telephone conversation with Mr Neville, Mr Appleby clarified the issue, saying there are two separate matters here.

The groundshare is a matter for the clubs and the leagues; the matter of senior status one for the Wiltshire FA.

This means there is no problem with the clubs sharing Meadow Lane and playing in the Toolstation and Hellenic Leagues.

As Wiltshire FA would no longer regard Trowbridge as having senior status they would not be allowed to compete in the Wiltshire Senior Cup, but bizarrely they would become eligible to play in both the FA Vase and the FA Cup.

(On Wednesday Mr Appleby confirmed those comments to us in an e-mail issued through the FA press office. The secretaries of the Toolstation and Hellenic Leagues also confirmed that county senior status is not required for clubs to compete in their competitions.) Now, we're not suggesting that Trowbridge risk losing their senior status, but at the end of another week that has again generated more heat than light on Wiltshire FA's arcane senior status rule, one thing has surely become clear: this regulation must be looked at again.

It could be the Wiltshire FA has good reasons to keep its senior status rule and oppose groundsharing.

If it has, what are they?

And when we say the Wiltshire FA should look at the rule again, we mean looked at by the board members and/or the elected members of the FA's council.

As its secretary, Mike Benson is the servant of the Wiltshire FA, not its master.

If the FA councillors continue to sit on their hands and do nothing, the future of at least one club in West Wiltshire is looking far from secure.

In the interests of a fair and open debate, the Wiltshire Times and Chippenham News has offered Mr Benson space in next week's issue to give the Wiltshire FA's case.'

Our Biggest Game - 5th April

Trowbridge Town face a crucial Hellenic League Division One clash with leaders Old Woodstock Town today.

Manager Paul Shanley said: "This is our biggest game and it could turn the season round. If we can get a result it opens things back up again for us. We've got to get a win. I think it's between Old Woodstock and Winterbourne for the title, but if we can win on Saturday it puts us into the equation. There's a few missing but we've got a strong enough side. It's win or bust."

Trowbridge may have to cope without Dean Ranger, who is a serious doubt with a groin injury, while Scott Askew and Matt Penman are unavailable. But The Bees will be boosted by the return of Toby Dawson and Liam Milburn from county duty.

Wiltshire FA Defend Their Decision - 25th March

Wiltshire FA secretary Mike Benson has defended the actions of the County Association after it blocked Sport Italia Hellenic League Division One West club Trowbridge Town's attempts to ground share with Toolstation Western Leaguers Westbury United.

Trowbridge chairman John Fitchen was annoyed the Wilts FA had not informed the club before they undertook weeks of talks with Westbury and previously Chippenham Town. But Benson said the Wilts FA should not be blamed for the delay. Benson said: "We didn’t know anything about it until we read it in the local paper. They didn't consult with the Wilts FA. It was the problem of the club who didn't fully inform us of the situation."

Benson said he contacted Trowbridge secretary Robin Sims straight away when he read of the plans and organised a meeting to inform them the Wilts FA would not allow it. Benson said: "It's quite clear that a club is given senior status based on the ground it holds and Trowbridge Town are a senior club based on their ground at Woodmarsh. The rules don't allow you to move to another senior ground." When asked why that rule was in place, Benson said: "To protect clubs to make sure that the ground on which they play is of a standard of the league they play in.

Benson said Trowbridge would not have been able to ground share with Chippenham, despite the superior quality of Hardenhuish Park. A ground share with Frome Town would also not have been allowed, even though Frome is outside the Wilts FA's jurisdiction. Benson said: "Every County FA has its own rules. We don't make those rules, they are designed by each county association. The only time that we allow a club to move to another ground is in an emergency. They would have to apply to us for an emergency move of their fixtures to another ground."

Benson said this situation applied to Trowbridge's game against Cheltenham Saracens at Hardenhuish Park in February. He said an emergency move would only be allowed for two or three games. Trowbridge currently share Woodmarsh with AFC Trowbridge Town Youth, an adult team who also possess senior status.

Benson said: "The reason we've allowed them to share is because Trowbridge Town were going to move onto that new ground within eighteen months and we didn't want to stop Trowbridge Town progressing. I feel a little sorry for the club in that the ground they are looking at moving onto hasn't moved on quick enough. There seems to be a bit of a problem in the Trowbridge area, you have always got a hell of a job with planning permission. You've got to feel a bit sorry for people who are trying to improve their lot." Benson said the Wilts FA would fully support Trowbridge if they wanted to upgrade facilities at Woodmarsh.

Looking Forward Challenge - 22nd March

Trowbridge Town entertain Winterbourne United in the Sport Italia Hellenic League Division One West tomorrow as they look to reinvigorate their title challenge.

The Bees lost to Oxford City Nomads last time out but still have an outside chance to win the league, though they will have to beat third-placed Winterbourne to have a realistic chance of top spot.

Manager Paul Shanley (pictured) said: "It's a very important game and a nice game to bounce back from the defeat against Oxford. Winterbourne are doing very well at the minute, I think they are in contention to win the league, apparently they have changed the side and brought in a number of players in."

"The lad up front, James Potts, scores 30-plus goals every season so he's a danger. But I'm quietly confident if the lads play to their potential we're going to give them a game. I still believe we've got a good chance, we will obviously be going for it and it's a must win."

"Against the so-called better teams we raise our game, I think the players are looking forward to the meeting. We've got a lot to play for in my eyes. The league is still there for us and we've got to believe we can do it. It's imperative to produce another good run, the players we have in the squad have certainly got enough about them to do that."

Dean Ranger will not play tomorrow as he is away on holiday. Trowbridge play Headington United away on Monday.

Bees Making Honey After Break - 1st March

Devoid of a League game in January, after suffering flood problems, Trowbridge have certainly benefited from the "enforced mid season break ", playing five League games in February without loss, with a 17 goal tally.

Commenting on last Saturday's game Bees boss, Paul Shanley, said he was "absolutely delighted" after his team crushed struggling Clanfield 5-0 in the Hellenic League First Division at Woodmarsh last Saturday.

Shanley said: "I'm absolutely delighted. It was a good all round performance. They showed the right attitude and were superb from start to finish. We took our chances and defended well. After we went a few goals up we kept our shape and kept doing the right things that got us goals in the first place."

Shanley said the weather induced break seemed to have done his team the power of good. "The players have come back from the enforced break and we look a totally different side. I'm just delighted for the lads, their attitude has been absolutely spot on. We've started believing in ourselves again but there's a long way to go and there's some difficult games coming up. They must keep that work rate and attitude, that can't fall below 100 per cent."

The Bees manager hailed striker Matt Minnis (pictured), who has hit nine goals in the last four games: "Matt Minnis is on fire at the moment. He's upped his work-rate and I'm pleased for him. The attacking options we've got are impressive and there's competition for places."

Trowbridge Town made the journey to Malmesbury Victoria on Tuesday night and drew 1-1 with their hosts.

Wetmarsh It Is! - 14th January 2008

The horrendous weather late last week caused further problems for a number of Sport Italia Hellenic League clubs with over 50% of the weekends program postponed due to waterlogging.

The aptly named Wetmarsh ground, home of Trowbridge Town was well and truly wet as can be seen by the attached images taken on Sunday.

The ground was walked on Sunday when the images were taken and with more rain forecast the club would not expect any football at the ground for probably the rest of this month.

The Trowbridge fixture, home to Cheltenham Saracens on Saturday 19th January has already been re-fixtured to allow, hopefully, the ground some time to recover.

Bees Don't Guarantee Honey At Nomads - 15th December

Trowbridge travel to Oxford City Nomads for a Hellenic League First Division West game today, a week after the corresponding home fixture was postponed due to bad weather. The Nomads are the reserve team for Southern League Oxford City, and though they are struggling, Town manager Paul Shanley said he expects a difficult game.

Shanley said: "They are quite a young side like ourselves and have got some good lads who they are looking to push into their first team. They've taken points off teams at the top of the league so they have proved they can compete. Out of the teams at the bottom they are one of those teams that's in a false position. We're not going to be coming up against mugs."

"They are quite good at home and I think they can probably be a top six side, so if we came away with a point we wouldn't be disappointed. Nomads are a good footballing side and we've not played for two weeks, which isn't going to help us."

Shanley said The Nomads' lack of league success so far this season was probably down to having a different set of players available each week. The Bees manager said in spite of last weekend's weather there had been some good news. "The only positive from last weekend was Easington Sports got beat 4-1 at Letcombe. They have lost the last three games and though we haven't played they haven't widened the gap from us. Our pitch is still very wet and we're away this week and the following week so that might not be a bad thing, the pitch does get seriously wet so it may take a little bit longer."

Booker Woodford (pictured) is out of the Trowbridge Town after breaking a thumb in a freak accident during training. Aaron Salter is suspended, but Mark Gerrish is hoping to return after ankle ligament problems. Robbie Simmonds could be drafted in from the reserves.

Only A Win Will Do - 1st December

Paul Shanley says nothing other than a win will do when his team host Trowbridge Town side Cirencester United in the Hellenic League First Division West today (kick-off 2pm).

Shanley said: "I'm expecting a win but we've got to have the right attitude. I know they have not won a game this season but they have not been taking drubbings. It's all about how we go about the game and I don't think we'll have a problem if we go about it how we did last Saturday. At times we aren't consistent enough because we draw some games we should win."

Liam Milburn is the only absentee from Shanley's squad as he is away with the Wiltshire under 18s.

Shanley Waits On Fitness Tests - 10th November

Trowbridge Town manager Paul Shanley (left) will have to wait for the outcome of late fitness tests on Craig Brown and Matt Minnis before naming his line-up for this afternoon's Wilts Senior Cup tie against neighbours, Toolstation Western League First Division side, Westbury United.

Liam Milburn and Matt Penman are unavailable and Daniel Shanley is out.

Shanley said: "It's a very intriguing game. I would say they will probably start the game as favourites but it's going to be a good test for us.

"It's a great game for players to come back and put in a performance. The players have got to show passion and commitment otherwise we are going to get rolled over."

Woods Back For Trowbridge - 29th September

Trowbridge welcome back experienced midfielder John Woods for this afternoon's Sport Italia Hellenic League First Division home match against third in the table Tytherington Rocks.Matt Minnis and Booker Woodford also return.

Manager Paul Shanley will be looking for his team to carry on the improved form they showed in last weekend's 1-0 home win over leaders Easington Sports. Shanley said: "It is no good doing it for one week, we have got to kick on now and put in a similar performance or better this week. This game is probably bigger than last week. They are a good footballing side and it will be another tough game but it is one we can go into with confidence."

Shanley said Trowbridge had many reasons to be positive about their season. "We have played the majority of top 10 sides and are in there with a shout. It's been a good start when you look at the teams we have played. We are getting players back and the squad is very strong at the moment and it is all coming together nicely. Players are fighting for their places, which is a nice problem for me to have."

Former Trowbridge Defender Joins Chelsea - 28th September

Former Trowbridge Town full back Ian Howell has won a new job with Premiership giants Chelsea.

Having lived in the shadows of his golfing brother David Howell for all of their sporting lives, Ian is finally enjoying some of the headlines himself after being snapped up by the London club. While David continues his battle to regain his form, missing the cut in the British Masters at the Belfry, Ian is relishing the prospect of coaching the future John Terrys and Frank Lampards, after being appointed under 14 coach at the Chelsea academy.

With David gracing the world's finest golf venues over the years, helping Europe win two Ryder Cups and rising to ninth in the world just over a year ago, Ian has mostly had to accept a back seat in their family's sporting circles. But now given his chance at one of the world's richest clubs, it is Ian who is finally enjoying his shot at top class sport.

He said: "Obviously I am really chuffed to have been given the opportunity. To move to such a high profile club is a bit of a dream come true for me really. t is fantastic for my own personal development and it will give me the chance to work with elite players. I put my CV in a while ago and now the chance has come up. I spoke to them and did a few sessions and I suppose they liked me."

Howell has been a centre of excellence coach at Swindon Town for the past 10 years, combined with coaching the New College side and recently being assistant manager at Southern league club Swindon Supermarine.

He is hopeful his Supermarine and College commitments will not have to be ended completely but admits the chance to coach the best was one "impossible to turn down." He said: "The training facilities there are first class and the pitches are immaculate as you would expect. It is still a learning curve for me though as I will see how a club like Chelsea works. It is exciting because Chelsea is a club now whose main aim is to develop the kids to progress to the first team."

"I know they can spend money but, like Manchester United and Arsenal, Chelsea can see the importance of developing their own talent."

Howell will take training sessions twice a week, once on a Saturday morning and then matches are played on a Sunday.

TROWBRIDGE DETERMINED TO MAKE IT THIS TIME - 8th August

Trowbridge Town are facing another season in the Sport Italia Hellenic League Division One West after ground issues debarred them from a deserved promotion at the end of last season.  But manager Paul Shanley is adamant that this season should be the club's last at that level, thanks to planned off-the-field developments at their Woodmarsh ground.  "The players, coaching staff and supporters had to put up with the disappointment of missing out on promotion at the end of last season after putting the work in to earn it on the pitch," said Shanley.  Now, there's a planning application in for a stadium development which would solve the off-the-field problems which meant we had to stay where we are.  And we're looking at a ground-sharing arrangement for next season to make sure we get promoted if we earn it and our new ground isn't ready in time. That is a massive incentive for the players to go out and at least match their achievements last season."

Shanley starts the season with a settled squad which has seen just one departure - Eddie Quelch to Frome Town - and one new face - North Bradley Saints' Chris Gow – who came in over the summer. And he reckons that stability will be his team's biggest asset when the new campaign gets under way. "We have a very good chemistry in our squad and that has been built around the nucleus of players who have been with Trowbridge for the last three or four seasons that will be important going into a campaign which will see us come up against four new quality additions to our division. There will also be an element of us being there to be shot at because we have been there or thereabouts in the promotion hunt for the last few seasons.
We're seen as one of the bigger guns in the division and that means there's an element of us being there to be shot at. But the vast majority of our squad has been playing together long enough to know how to cope with that and that will give us a great foundation to build on over the course of the season."

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